tautology collection
by himikiyo
Summary: A collection of short DR oneshots, various settings and ships. There may be some overarching themes and storylines, but each chapter is self-contained and can be read on its own. Latest: Sonianami
1. KaedeTenko - Warmth

_tenkaede, hope's peak au, 1328 words_

* * *

"I just don't get it," Tenko said, kicking at the ground and sending a shower of gravel along the path in front of her. "I care about her so much. So much! Tenko would do anything for her. She's like an angel and I just want to make her happy and be by her side. Is Tenko doing something wrong? Does she not know?" Her voice grew increasingly urgent as she went on, face heating up.

Beside her, another angel hummed softly, adjusting the strap of her bag. Her blonde hair sparkled in the sunlight, and it seemed to Tenko as though the weather itself had worked solely for Kaede's benefit.

"I don't think that's it," Kaede said, glancing over at her as they walked. "I'm sure Yumeno-san knows how fond you are of her. You're really easy to read. Not that it's a bad thing...I think it's great that you're so positive and open! It means that you don't really give people mixed signals or make them wonder what your intentions are. But as much as you want to help, sometimes people just don't think about things the same way as you. That's something I have problems with too," she admitted, laughing softly. It was such a beautiful sound that Tenko's heart fluttered despite herself.

"That's one way that we're really similar, I think. We both want to make people feel more confident in themselves and take the best path possible, but...We can't do everything," Kaede continued. "If they don't want help, it's better to just support them in whatever they choose, and be there for them in other ways."

"I guess so...Tenko would never want to make Himiko upset, but I just don't want her to get hurt. No...no man could ever treat her half as well as she deserves to be. She...she has to be protected! Nobody can do that better than Tenko, especially when it comes to keeping an eye on those menaces." Tenko wanted to punch something. A degenerate would be best, but anything would do. If Kaede wasn't with her, she'd head straight to the dojo to get this frustration out. Aikido was always there for her, even when nothing else seemed to be going right.

"I think you have to give her the chance to look out for herself, though." Once again, Kaede's voice drew her out of her thoughts, returning her to the present. A quiet, empty path weaving through campus, behind the greenhouses and gardens. Tenko never had much of a reason to go near the science buildings, but she was beginning to think it might be worth it to come here more. Occasionally, the sounds of distant voices and footsteps made their way to them, but more than anything else, it was quiet here. Just the warm sun, the gentle breeze, and a beautiful girl by her side.

Kaede's words barely made sense. Of course Himiko couldn't look out for herself. She was so small and weak, and so worryingly withdrawn sometimes. If some filthy man wanted to take advantage of her somehow, there was no way she'd be able to defend herself! For that matter, she might not even care enough to try. Tenko knew that Kaede didn't know Himiko nearly as well as she did, but really, the problem with the other girl's idea should be obvious. Frustration still bubbling inside her, Tenko took some time to digest the advice anyway. Silence settled over them as they walked, only the crunch of gravel underfoot interrupting it.

"And I really don't think anyone in our class would want to hurt Yumeno-san." Kaede's expression was earnest and open. Trustworthy. She reached out, taking Tenko's hand and squeezing it. "Sure, sometimes people don't get along, but nobody has anything against her, right? We're not strangers. All sixteen of us are classmates, friends."

A frustrated noise escaped Tenko's throat. Her eyes burned. She squeezed Kaede's hand back, taking care not to grip too hard. Most people weren't as strong as her, after all, and the last thing she wanted to do was accidentally hurt a girl.

"We have such a connection. We'd be so good together. I just don't understand why she'd choose..." She trailed off. Tenko wasn't ashamed to share her feelings with Kaede, but finishing that sentence would just be too much. No degenerate even deserved to have his name cross her lips anyway.

Kaede frowned, lips parting as though she was considering saying something, but then she shook her head, a gentle smile appearing on her face instead.

"It's normal to feel hurt right now, but dwelling on it won't do you any good, and you definitely shouldn't try to change Yumeno-san's mind about this. Right now, maybe what you need is a distraction. Let me show you somewhere nice."

There was no way she could say no. Tenko nodded, raising her free hand to wipe at her watery eyes. Kaede was absolutely right. She had to be strong, and maybe Himiko would still change her mind on her own anyway. It was too soon to think there was no hope left. Kaede was being so sweet too, talking to her like this. Stopping in her tracks, Tenko turned to pull her into a tight hug, sniffling.

"You're so amazing, Kaede. Helping other girls is so important. Tenko's so grateful to you."

Very much unlike Himiko, Kaede hugged back just as tightly.

"It's nothing, really. I'm happy to listen. We're friends, and besides, it's kinda my job as the class rep to make sure everyone is getting along, right? Now c'mon, I think you're really gonna love this!" Breaking away from the hug, but taking her hand again in compromise, Kaede led the way. They'd passed most of the buildings on this side of campus now, drawing closer to the boundary between Hope's Peak and everything outside of it. To Tenko's surprise, they were approaching a small, pristine courtyard. On its own, that was nothing special. There were various courtyards scattered all over campus. This one, however, looked untouched. Between the delicate, wrought-iron benches and blooming flowers, a tiny stream burbled cheerfully, seemingly starting and ending out of nowhere. Undoubtedly the work of someone with a science related talent.

"Oh, wow," Tenko breathed, bounding over and sitting on the ground. The cobblestones lining the courtyard were warm underneath her, and when she dipped her fingers into the mysterious stream, the water was refreshingly cool. "This is so beautiful. Tenko had no idea this place was even here! It's like a whole little world just for us."

"I thought you might appreciate it," Kaede said, smoothing out her skirt and delicately taking a seat beside her. "I stumbled across it accidentally in our first year, and ever since then, it's been a nice place to clear my thoughts. I've almost never seen anyone else here."

"And you're sharing that with Tenko? Something so special?"

"Of course." A hand settled on Tenko's thigh, Kaede's fingertips just barely brushing the bare skin past the hem of her shorts. "Sharing nice things with people you care about makes them even better. Maybe we can come here together sometimes, whenever you need to get away from everything with Yumeno-san for awhile."

Tenko could feel herself blushing. She lifted her wet hand from the stream and pressed it to her face in an attempt to calm the flustered heat, but it was no use. Kaede's gaze followed her movements. She seemed absolutely charmed by the blunder. How could that be? Tenko knew she wasn't nearly as cute as the other girls in their class.

"Y-yes! Tenko would love that. And let me know if you're having any problems, especially with degenerates. Tenko wants to help you too, and she protects all girls from the treachery of men, especially someone as cute as you."

"Cute, huh? You're pretty cute too, you know."

Without even noticing, her anger had disappeared.


	2. HimikoShuichi - Dancing

_saimeno, salmon mode au, request from ao3_

_935 words_

* * *

"Hey, Saihara."

"Oh, Yumeno-san. This is a surprise. Is there something I can help you with?"

The daily life Shuichi had been plunged into over the past week or so was more bizarre than anything he could have imagined. He spent his time reading up on all sorts of mysteries and police cases, and had never once encountered anything this strange. Kidnapped and plunged into some sort of dating show? Reality was stranger than fiction sometimes. Everyone had been worried about their situation at first, but it didn't seem like they were in any danger. In fact, there had even been fun moments here and there. Mostly thanks to Akamatsu, their bubbly, fearless leader, but...

Some of the others here were surprisingly charming too. Exhibit A, Himiko Yumeno.

"Well, yeah, actually," Himiko said, punctuating her statement with a yawn. She shrugged, curling a lock of hair around her finger and looking away. "I want you to teach me something."

"Teach you?" Shuichi could feel himself blushing. Ugh, how embarrassing. He tugged the brim of his hat lower, perfectly content with Yumeno's tendency not to make eye contact with anyone. "Um, I...can do my best, but what exactly do you want me to teach you? Someone else might be more helpful..."

"No. My magic is telling me it has to be you." She paused for a moment before continuing. "You know how Akamatsu was talking about ballroom dance and stuff the other day? I want you to teach me how to dance."

Shuichi nodded slowly, taking in that information. He knew exactly what Yumeno was talking about. The conversation had started up at dinner, and it turned out that both Akamatsu and Amami had experience with formal dance. Gokuhara, of course, had wanted to know more for the sake of being gentlemanly, and everyone else had mostly been intrigued. But...what use could Yumeno possibly have for those kinds of skills here?

"Why me, then? Wouldn't Akamatsu-san or Amami-kun make more sense?"

"You know how to dance too, don't you?" Yumeno tipped her head to the side, giving off the impression of a cat trying to decide if something was worth its time. "Why not?"

"A little, yeah. If...your magic is really telling you that it has to be me, then I'd be happy to give it a try."

* * *

Shuichi didn't consider himself the most graceful person alive, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that Yumeno was far worse. She kept tripping over his feet, turning the wrong way, stopping abruptly...It was a total disaster. Not that he'd tell her that, of course. This actually seemed to be the best she could do. For that matter, she still hadn't explained why she was suddenly interested in dancing in the first place. Yumeno didn't seem the type to do things just for the hell of it, especially things involving physical activity.

"Ah, maybe we should take a little break, huh?" He chuckled, unwrapping his arms from around her smaller frame and nervously adjusting his hat. "We've been at this for quite awhile now."

Yumeno pouted, the clearest display of emotion he'd seen from her today, and slumped down in the nearest chair. Shuichi couldn't pinpoint why, but it felt like the mood of the entire room had shifted.

"Yumeno-san? Is something wrong?" he asked, taking a step closer.

"I know I'm not any good at it," she mumbled, scuffing her boot against the floor. "Sorry for wasting your time. It's not like I even cared about learning to dance anyway. Too much work." No further explanation seemed to be forthcoming. Shuichi waited a moment, and then continued approaching, sitting down next to her. An unfortunate side effect of being a detective was that it was incredibly hard to set a puzzle down.

"You didn't?"

"Whatever, it's not a big deal or anything. I just..." Another moment passed. Shuichi waited, heart skipping a beat. "The dance was just a new way of spell casting. A...way to get your arms around me."

"Oh. _Oh._ Well...you don't need an excuse for that. I could just do it anyway," he said, gaze fixed on the wall across from them. "You could just ask."

"Oh," Yumeno echoed. Then, slowly, she moved closer, resting her head against his shoulder. His first instinct was to flinch away, not used to physical contact with anyone, but this was nice. Comforting. He wrapped one arm around her carefully, allowing himself to get used to it.

"Yeah. Whenever you'd like."

* * *

In a dimly lit room, illuminated only by the glow of computer monitors, Shirogane Tsumugi smiled. Audiences were so pleased. Just as they should be, of course. Her work was nearly perfect. Even so, she wanted to aim for even greater heights. The way she was expanding the Danganronpa universe was legendary. As long as she had the support of the world, she could keep building on it.

Besides, she thought, gaze unfocused as she spun around in her computer chair. This wasn't quite right anyway. Sweet, but she wanted something with more chemistry, more passion. Next time would be even better. She knew it.

Scooting closer to her keyboard once again, Tsumugi backed up the footage she'd been re-watching, carefully organizing it into the proper folder. The data on the simulation itself had already been saved as well, safe and sound in case she ever wanted to pick it back up again or implant those memories. Those two really had been rather cute, fumbling their way through a dance together.

Tsumugi giggled, not even batting an eye as she clicked 'restart.'


	3. CelesteKyoko - After a Date

_celesgiri, ambiguous non-despair au, ao3 request_

_553 words_

_after their first real date, kyoko and celes realize how comfortable with each other they've become._

* * *

"Something wrong, ma cherie?"

Kyoko cleared her throat, hoping that she wasn't visibly blushing. Something about her girlfriend speaking French always managed to get her flustered. Some people considered Celes' European persona to be overly forced and unnatural, but Kyoko couldn't help but find it charming. After all, it was that cunning and charm that had caught her attention to begin with. However, she was fond of Yasuhiro Taeko as well. The fact that Celes trusted her enough to let down her guard and be her more relaxed self was incredibly precious to her.

"No, nothing. I was just lost in thought for a moment. Don't worry about it." Avoiding eye contact, Kyoko fiddled with her hair. A quick consideration of her options ended with her taking a careful seat on the edge of the bed, glancing around.

"Hmm." Celes didn't seem convinced, flawlessly manicured nails tapping against her vanity and sending soft clicking sounds across the room. "I'm not so sure about that. Is it possible you could be lying to me, Miss Detective?" Her lips curled into a wicked smile, still just as enchanting without the heavy layers of makeup she wore in public.

Kyoko scoffed, though the tiny smile tugging at her own lips revealed that she wasn't actually annoyed by being called out on her flimsy excuse. Detective instincts as attuned as ever, she noticed the other's hands trembling slightly as she unclipped her drills and carefully put them away. She wasn't the only one who was still a little nervous about the new closeness between them.

"Well, if you insist on knowing exactly what was on my mind..." She got to her feet again, crossing the room to where Celes was sitting. "I was thinking about how beautiful you are, Taeko," Kyoko murmured, wrapping her arms around her. "Those sorts of flowery declarations don't sound quite right coming from me though, do they? I'm not sure I have the personality for it."

"Naturally. The concept of you, or anyone else, being as elegant and charming as me is simply impossible." However, in the mirror, Kyoko could see that her girlfriend wasn't nearly as composed as she was trying to sound. She didn't object to being called by her given name either. "However, I appreciate the attempt. Things like that are what help maintain your status as the world's only A rank."

"Could it be that my words got you flustered so easily?" she asked, mimicking Celes' tone from earlier. "My, my, how expressive you are all of a sudden. Who would have thought a single date would make you act like this?"

"It's nothing." Dropping her feigned accent, Celes rolled her eyes, tugging Kyoko a little closer. "It...really was a nice date though. Worth the wait, I think. Even the world's most talented servants couldn't arrange a more satisfying day, I believe."

"Then is it safe to assume you'll do me the honor of going out with me again on Saturday?"

"Naturally. I trust you'll make it worth my while." That said, Celes turned her head, connecting their lips in a kiss. Kyoko smiled into it, gloved fingers running through short black hair.

"Whatever you desire." Regardless of her sarcastic tone, it wasn't entirely a joke. After years of playful rivalry, Taeko had effortlessly captured her heart.


	4. HimikoKorekiyo - Accomplice

_himikiyo, non-despair au (they're in their early 20s) - also, while it's not enough to bump the rating up to m, be aware that this chapter has some sexual implications, specifically bdsm/knifeplay_

_658 words_

_himiko yumeno's guide to supporting your s/o in everything they do._

* * *

In a lavish hotel room, the news was on. The hotel was nothing special, aside from perhaps being out of the average person's price range. It sat in the middle of a bustling city, housing businessmen and wealthy travelers alike. In this particular suite, the newsanchor's voice droned on from the TV, discussing reports of yet another mysterious murder. The body of a young woman found in the woods, tied up and throat slit. The description painted a horrific scene, but the room's occupant didn't seem bothered. She yawned, downing the last bit of coffee at the bottom of her mug.

Himiko Yumeno got up from the bed, fetching a sweater from the closet. Well-worn and forest green, it fell to her thighs when she pulled it on, inhaling the familiar smell of incense. The same news story was still running, interviewees crying over the futility of finding the killer. What sort of fiend would commit such gruesome murders all over Japan? Himiko snickered and changed the channel, flopping back onto the bed again.

Moments later, the door swung open slowly, wood creaking. She glanced up again, a genuine smile gracing her face for the first time that day.

"You're late. What happened?"

"Nothing of consequence," Korekiyo replied, giving an unconcerned shrug as they closed the door behind them. As they took a second look at her, Himiko could see them smiling underneath their mask. "You're wearing my sweater," they said.

"Yeah, I am." She smiled back at them, grabbing the remote to turn the television off. After all, she had something far more appealing to devote her attention to now. "The cops are idiots as always, if you were wondering. I swear, they might as well just record one generic story and use it over and over instead of wasting their breath. They hardly ever have any witnesses anyway."

"Even if they did, it's highly unlikely they'd make their way to the truth." Korekiyo joined her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her. Content, Himiko snuggled into their chest, tipping her head up to press a fleeting kiss to their jaw. Afterwards, a dark stain caught her eye. Sighing, she raised an eyebrow, giving them a look of fond exasperation.

"Did you forget to check your clothes? You have blood on your jacket." Temporarily pulling out of their embrace, Himiko set about unbuttoning their jacket and sliding it off. "I hope nobody saw that."

"I spent some time in the lab," they said, helping her remove the offending article of clothing. "I could have blamed it on something there if need be. However, nobody commented, and the mere presence of a stain isn't proof of anything. For that matter, I could have blamed it on our shared hobbies as well. Few people would wish to dig very deeply into that."

Himiko laughed, fingers sliding up to hook under the fabric of their mask, tugging it down.

"Oh? What are you implying?" Her eyes intently followed the movement of their hand as they reached out towards the nightstand. They opened the drawer, withdrawing a knife with an ornately carved handle. In one smooth motion, they passed it to her and promptly began unbuttoning their shirt, exposing the pale, scarred skin beneath.

"If the blood was my own, well, there's no place for investigation in that, is there? Celebrities or not, we are entitled to our privacy." Their lipstick had smeared a bit in the process of pulling their mask down. Himiko lifted her free hand, wiping the smudge away with her thumb. Then she leaned in, giving them a long, lingering kiss.

"Mm, that's true. It'd be quite a scandal, talking about that kind of thing on the news."

"Best to make the excuse convincing, just in case." Thin, spidery fingers wrapped around her wrist, bringing her hand closer. "Don't you think?"

Himiko nodded, smirk reflected in the metal of the blade.

"I think you're absolutely right."


	5. KaedeTsumugi - Protection

_kaemugi, canon divergence_

_703 words_

_tsumugi rigs the first case to protect her favorite character._

* * *

Kaede was so beautiful, so kind, so inspiring. Thoughts like this crossed Tsumugi's mind often, infatuated as she was with the unofficial leader of their group. Even in the most dire of situations, like the time limit that threatened all of their lives, she couldn't help but think about Kaede and wish that she was worthy of her love. The time limit was no longer a threat, of course, saving everyone from certain death for now, but the real trouble for Tsumugi had just begun.

Unless she could guide the killing game on a path even better than her initial plans, she was totally going to lose her job for this. A good mastermind only broke the rules when absolutely necessary, and here she was doing it right at the beginning.

Tsumugi shook her head in an attempt to clear those thoughts out of her mind, scrubbing her hands clean. No point in fretting over something that was already done. She turned off the water and stepped over to the hand dryer, watching as every clean droplet, no longer stained red with blood, was wicked away. Her nail polish had started to chip, bringing a frown to Tsumugi's face. She'd been jealous when Rantaro butted in and ruined her alone time with Kaede, it was true, but she'd miss him all the same. They'd been such good friends once.

She returned to the dining hall, taking a seat at the table and watching her classmates. Miu was still tinkering with...whatever that was supposed to be, as if she didn't even notice the loud, obnoxious background music had just cut out. Korekiyo, on the other hand, looked a little too alert for Tsumugi's liking, raising an eyebrow and giving her a look as if to say, 'alright, now what?' She offered a hesitant smile in return, averting her gaze in favor of looking at Kirumi just as the body discovery announcement played.

* * *

The despair on Kaede's face was perfect. Shuichi laid dead on the ground, hat resting a short distance from his body. Blood oozed sluggishly from his head and seeped into the library carpet, already slowing after the fatal impact. Even the security receiver, still clenched tight in his fist, was splattered with red. Kaede sobbed, and Tsumugi was forced to do the same to hide her laughter.

Goodbye, boy detective, she thought. Kaede has a new sidekick now.

"Such a shame," Rantaro said grimly, shaking his head. Ironic, how he didn't even know his words would soon apply to himself. Too knowledgeable to live. "I thought I could end this game, but it seems it won't be that easy. Someone's a better puppetmaster than I gave them credit for."

Maybe it was just her imagination, but Tsumugi almost thought he glanced over at her as he said it. One more reason he needed to go.

She stepped closer to Kaede, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. God, she could almost smell the fruity scent of her shampoo, could feel the softness of her vest and the warmth of her body. Tsumugi was beginning to understand why Korekiyo felt the way he did about humanity, because even Kaede's tears were beautiful.

"I'm so sorry, Kaede," she said, her voice just shaky enough. "I know you were closer to Shuichi than anyone else here. But...we're going to find who did this together, and make sure no more killings happen! We're all here for you. E-especially me. I may be too plain and unimpressive to be much help, but I'll stay by your side no matter what and do whatever I can, so please try not to worry," Tsumugi urged.

Kaede mustered up a shaky smile. Strong even when her best friend had been murdered...one of the many things Tsumugi loved about her.

"Thanks, Tsumugi. That's really nice of you. You're right, we can't give up now. Shuichi would want us to work as hard as we can to solve this case."

* * *

Just as she'd planned, they all fell for her frame job perfectly. With both Shuichi and Rantaro out of the way, there was nothing to harm her wonderful protagonist, and nobody to get in the way. Kaede was hers.


	6. ChiakiSonia - Bite

_sonianami, no hope's peak_

_1702 words_

_video games are the way to any girl's heart._

* * *

Why such a major gaming tournament was happening in a country she'd never even heard of before, Chiaki had no idea. There was no way that was going to stop her though. A cursory search online had revealed that Novoselic was a small European kingdom. It did well enough for itself, apparently, but wasn't particularly involved in world affairs. The photos looked quaint, plenty of lush forests and old castles to see. Not that Chiaki cared much about the scenery, since she'd only be going there to play video games, but it was nice to know anyway.

A few people online had also mentioned that there were some rumors about the royal family. Too many people had made similar allusions for Chiaki to dismiss it as a conspiracy theory or one person's bizarre ramblings, but all of them had been incredibly vague. It was concerning to say the least. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that it might be good to get to the bottom of that, but she was only going to be visiting for a few days. It wasn't like she'd be living there or anything...There was no reason to spend precious gaming time researching the inner workings of somewhere so far removed from her own life.

That had been decided a couple of months ago, and ever since, Chiaki hadn't spared it another thought. It wasn't until she actually found herself in the Novoselic airport, loitering near the baggage claim, that she remembered that evening of research.

"Is this your first time in Novoselic?" The voice came from somewhere off to her right, and it took her a moment to realize that it was directed at her. Chiaki turned to look at them, stifling a yawn.

"Yeah, it is," she murmured, tipping her head to the side. "I'm here for the tournament this weekend. How about you?"

"Oh, I'm here on business," they replied, still perfectly pleasant, but in a tone suggesting that further questions about it wouldn't be welcome. "It's my...fourth time, I believe? It's a lovely place, really. Beautiful. You know, if you look out this window here, you should be able to get a glimpse of the royal castle."

Chiaki peered out in the direction they were pointing, and sure enough, in the midst of the trees dotting the landscape, she could see a tower of gray stone that appeared to be at the corner of a much larger structure. It really was impressive, despite her usual lack of interest in such things. The curiosity the royal family inspired (especially the princess, whose photos alone had been enough to make Chiaki's heart flutter) certainly helped.

"Oh, wow, there it is," she said, glancing over to her odd conversational partner, who was staring off into space as if they had something else on their mind entirely. "I see it. I totally wouldn't have thought it was this close without you telling me."

They merely hummed in acknowledgment, giving Chiaki the impression that the conversation was over. That was fine by her. She could spot her suitcase coming her way, and she was no good at small talk. Wordlessly, she walked over to retrieve her luggage from the carousel, but before leaving, she turned back to them, frowning thoughtfully.

"Hey, could I ask you a question?"

Her voice seemed to jolt them out of whatever hypnotic daze they'd drifted into. They startled slightly, but then relaxed, adjusting their hat. Maybe they weren't good at conversations either, despite having started one with her. Chiaki could sympathize with that.

"You just did, but yes, proceed. I'm happy to hear whatever thoughts you may have."

"If you've been here before...do you know anything about the royal family?" she asked. "I've heard a lot of talk about rumors, but nothing about what the rumors actually are. It's strange."

The stranger chuckled, shaking their head. For a moment, Chiaki thought that they weren't going to answer.

"I'm aware of the stories. Many would dismiss them as simple myths...urban legends, perhaps. It's only natural for such important figures as royalty to be shaped into something surpassing the limits of humanity itself, yes? As to whether the population truly believes, well, that's one of the things I'm here to study. I cannot prove nor disprove the claims, but I can simply inform you of their substance. The royals of Novoselic are not humans, but vampires, or so the story goes. I shall allow you to form an opinion on the matter on your own." They laughed softly, raising a hand in farewell.

"I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors."

* * *

The bizarre encounter in the airport had raised more questions than it answered. There was no way that vampires were real, right? Were they just messing with her by making up something like that?

Chiaki was lounging on a couch at the convention center, mulling over the merits of vampires being real. There was quite a bit of time before she had to get back to the competition, and she needed something to occupy her mind so she wouldn't be tempted to drift off to sleep. Before she could get too lost in thought, however, she was greeted with the most radiant smile she'd ever seen.

"Ah, hello. I'm terribly sorry to disturb you, but I just had to meet you! You're Nanami Chiaki, right? Everyone's saying you're one of the best players in the world." The voice belonged to a girl about her own age, and Chiaki was taken aback by just how beautiful she was. She radiated poise and confidence, the sort of aura that would draw anyone's attention. Blonde hair fell in long, soft waves down her back, and in stark contrast to most of the attendees, she was dressed incredibly stylishly. Chiaki's mind instantly went back to the pictures she'd seen online. It couldn't be...could it?

"Yeah, that's me. I'm just...really passionate about video games, that's all. They're kind of my life," she replied slowly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "And you're..." Chiaki couldn't finish her sentence. Having that smile directed at her was frying her brain.

"Oh, that's right! How rude of me, coming up to you like this and failing to introduce myself. I'm not very used to talking to foreigners, you see." She gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "I'm Sonia Nevermind, princess of Novoselic. It's nice to meet you, Nanami-san."

"Nice to meet you too..." Chiaki hesitated. How was she supposed to address her?

"Please, call me Sonia." Leave it to a princess to immediately pick up on how someone was feeling, she supposed. Chiaki's face warmed at being treated with such familiarity by someone like Sonia, but she certainly wasn't complaining.

"Okay, Sonia-san," she agreed. "In that case...you can call me Chiaki."

Beaming, Sonia sat down next to her, clapping her hands together in excitement. Her eyes positively sparkled. Chiaki wasn't the best at reading the air, but she got the impression that Sonia didn't get to have casual conversations like this very often.

"Chiaki-san, I'm a big fan! I must confess I have not gotten the chance to play video games before, but that is why I've been looking forward to my kingdom hosting this event! It seems like so much fun. I was wondering...would you teach me?"

"You...want me to teach you how to play video games?" Chiaki echoed. This was getting more surreal by the moment. Sonia, apparently not finding this situation unusual in the slightest, nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh, but I understand if you're busy, of course. Please don't feel obligated."

"No, I don't mind," she said. "I think...yeah. It'd be fun." Chiaki nodded, smiling at her. "I'd be happy to teach you." Gaming was fun, no matter who it was with. Even if teaching Sonia meant she missed out on some of the competition, that was okay. Besides, maybe she'd get to find out if those stories were really true...

"Awesome!" Sonia exclaimed. Her enthusiasm certainly seemed genuine, but her inflection was just a bit off, as if reading a word she'd never seen before. It was oddly endearing. "If you'd like, we could return to the castle."

* * *

Sure enough, the lesson turned out to be a lot of fun. At first, Sonia was comically bad at every game they tried, but with practice and careful instruction from Chiaki, she began to improve. Leaning close to help her with the controls was oddly thrilling. Their arms occasionally brushed, and Chiaki could smell the light, floral scent of Sonia's perfume. It wasn't until a few hours had passed that she noticed she felt no warmth emanating from the princess at all. Her attitude was plenty warm, but as far as actual body heat, nothing.

"Sonia-san...?" Chiaki murmured eventually, trying to figure out a way to broach the topic.

"Yes? Is something the matter?"

"I'm sorry if this sounds rude at all, but I was wondering...I mean, I've heard some stories about your family..."

"Oh, yes," Sonia said, pausing the game and laughing softly. "Traditions and folklore are very much an important part of our culture. People are very attached to that sort of thing. I'm sure you have similar legends in Japan. However...you're wondering if it's true, no?"

Chiaki nodded, feeling rather like she'd been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. Sonia didn't seem bothered at all though, her placid expression not wavering a bit.

"What if I told you it was completely true?"

"Um, well...I'm not sure." Sonia hadn't done anything in their time together to suggest she had any malicious intentions, but a chill shot down Chiaki's spine all the same. Vampires...it was just too unbelievable. She forced a laugh, deciding that Sonia's answer must have been a joke. "That'd be pretty crazy."

Sonia laughed along with her, shifting her controller from hand to hand. Then she moved a little closer, giving her a curious look. Chiaki could have sworn her gaze darted down to her neck for a moment.

"It certainly would be, wouldn't it? Don't look so nervous. I don't bite," she teased. "Unless you want me to."


End file.
